National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson today encouraged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prepare for increased economic instability and financial stress for American family farmers and ranchers through the USDA Certified Agricultural Mediation Program.
“USDA’s August 2015 net farm income forecast confirms anecdotal evidence of increasing financial distress for producers,” noted Johnson in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “NFU encourages USDA to prepare for increased activity of direct and guaranteed loan applications, loan servicing and mediation services. We recommend the USDA utilize the USDA Certified Agricultural Mediation Program and expand the agricultural issues that are eligible for mediation services.”
Johnson noted that after several years of strong and record high net farm incomes, production costs also enjoyed an upward income trend. Johnson noted NFU’s strong support for the USDA Certified Agricultural Mediation Program which helps producers and lenders agree on solutions to conflicts with farm loans.
